Capturing change: Three sustainability photographers making an impact
Meet the photographers exploring the human-nature connection and urging reflection on environmental issues, even within fashion
Fashion is no longer merely worn or celebrated; it is actively challenged and redefined. As discussions around fashion production and consumption deepen, sustainability has become an urgent focal point. This year’s PhotoVogue Festival served as a powerful centre for conversations on conscious photography, with the 2025 theme, “The Tree of Life: A Love Letter to Nature,” examining the intricate relationship between humans and the other inhabitants of our planet.
In its ninth edition, the event drew over 10,000 visitors, reinforcing its role as a space where artists and audiences come together to challenge the status quo and reimagine the world we inhabit. Among the exceptional and thought-provoking creatives featured at the festival, here are our top picks.
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Capturing Nature’s Fragility and the Resilience of Local Communities: Ami Vitale’s Call for Conservation and Sustainability
A National Geographic photographer and filmmaker, Ami Vitale dares to go the extra mile when it comes to her work. By fully immersing herself in the ecosystems she captures, Vitale provides an intimate perspective on nature that highlights both its beauty and its fragility. She engages deeply with the environments she portrays, forging connections with local communities and wildlife to create images that leave a lasting impression.
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As the founder of Vital Impacts, Vitale has created a platform that uses photography to drive real-world conservation efforts. Through her work, she raises awareness about urgent environmental issues and emphasises the critical role local communities play in preserving nature. Her approach reminds us that humans are not separate from nature but are integral to its survival. Her images reflect the delicate balance of life and serve as a call to action, urging us to rethink our relationship with the planet.
Ami Vitale’s work has significant implications for the fashion industry, challenging it to recognise its environmental footprint and reconsider its practices, encouraging a shift towards sustainability.
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Elizaveta Porodina on Becoming One with Her Muses, Where People – and Nature –Define the Moment
Elizaveta Porodina creates magical photographs that linger in your memory long after you’ve seen them. In a time when fashion photography is often dictated by commercial interests, she brings a depth and authenticity that challenges conventional norms. She uses light, shadow, and abstraction to tell stories that go beyond the surface, inviting viewers to appreciate fashion as an art form rather than just an industry.
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Perhaps this is why she’s known as the “photographer of dreams”. Those who admire her work suggest that the world she captures in her shots isn’t our reality but instead a dreamlike universe of her own creation. She’s often described as a surrealist artist. Her latest cover story for Vogue Italia with Ariana Grande is titled “Pure Fantasy,” while a previous one featuring Benedetta Porcaroli from January 2024 was called “Like a Dream.” Interestingly, Vogue notes that when asked for an explanation behind her work, Porodina says she doesn’t quite understand it herself. She believes she doesn’t invent anything in her portraits. For her, the essence of her artistry lies in capturing the energy that radiates from her subjects.
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Elizaveta Porodina’s approach to photography is deeply empathetic. She shares how she becomes one with her muses, especially animals, blending into their environment and allowing the subject to guide the moment. Her work is vibrant and dynamic, encouraging viewers to sense movement and life beyond mere stillness.
This concept comes to life vividly in her photoshoot with Ariana Grande. Typically viewed as a pop icon, Grande is portrayed in a more ethereal light, her presence blending with the shifting interplay of light and shadow. The portrait draws the viewer into an otherworldly moment where the boundaries between reality and fantasy become blurred.
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Alice Aedy’s Mission to Champion Environmental Change Through Art and Innovation
Alice Aedy is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and photojournalist, as well as an environmental advocate. She is a National Geographic explorer and CEO of Earthrise Studio, an impact-driven media company dedicated to people and the planet. Alongside co-founders Jack and Finn Harries, she was recognised on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 2023 list for their work in social impact. Through her commitment, Alice Aedy uses art as a platform to amplify the planet’s most urgent stories.
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Understanding the climate crisis shouldn’t be limited to grim statistics; it’s equally important to highlight the innovation and progress being made to address these challenges. One valuable resource for this is Earthrise’s “Spotlight” series, launched in collaboration with Bloomberg. This 12-part series focuses on climate solutions, exploring topics like the growing issue of plastic pollution and the circular economy’s potential to combat it.
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Another noteworthy initiative is the “Choose Earth” campaign, a collaboration between Earthrise and Choose Love. This project provides direct support to communities most vulnerable to climate-related displacement. The Choose Earth campaign has played a pivotal role in supporting Brazilian Indigenous communities, which protect 80% of the world’s biodiversity despite representing only 5% of the global population.
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Additionally, Alice Aedy encourages everyone to connect with the natural world through the groundbreaking “Sounds Right” project, a global music initiative by the Museum for the United Nations. This project transforms nature into a recognised music artist on streaming platforms like Spotify, collaborating with artists such as Ellie Goulding, Aurora, and David Bowie x Brian Eno. The sounds of rainforests, oceans, and wildlife are no longer just background noise; they are acknowledged as creative forces. With every track that credits nature, the streaming royalties generated support conservation efforts for the world’s most fragile ecosystems.
At this year’s PhotoVogue Festival, the collective consciousness radiated a powerful sense of urgency and possibility, prompting us to reflect: How can we integrate sustainability into every aspect of fashion, beginning with our own choices?
Arshia Jan
MA Alumna in Fashion & Luxury Brand Management